Landlord in the Arctic-Chapter 69: Family

"Khilla!" Nash reminded him softly.

Feng Shan waved a dismissive hand, set down his backpack, and took out an entrenching tool. He walked over to where the Little Wolf Cub was clawing at the snow. Gently picking up the cub, whose paws were now bleeding, he handed it to Nash. Then he began to dig into the snow himself with the tool.

As he dug away at the snow, Feng Shan began to uncover white fur buried beneath. The Little Wolf Cub let out a series of bleak, mournful cries.

The mournful cries sounded shrill and helpless in the wind, making Feng Shan’s heart clench. He sped up his digging, his hands turning bright red from the freezing air.

When the snow was cleared, the bodies of two white-furred wolves, one large and one small, lay frozen solid at the bottom of the pit. Their internal organs had been gouged out by something, and their deaths had been exceptionally gruesome.

The Little Wolf Cub struggled out of Nash’s arms, leaped into the pit, and crouched beside the large wolf, letting out soft whimpers.

It repeatedly nudged the large wolf with its head, its eyes filled with longing and pleading, hoping the large wolf would wake up and respond as it always had.

Then it gently took the smaller wolf’s fur in its teeth and tugged.

The whimpering sounds gradually grew faint, as if the Little Wolf Cub knew it was all in vain, yet it was still unwilling to give up.

The Little Wolf Cub looked up at Feng Shan, its eyes welling with tears, its gaze full of pleading and hope.

Feng Shan sighed silently and reached down to place the trembling Little Wolf Cub into his pack.

Seeing the bodies in the snowy pit, Prince and Coca-Cola seemed to understand they were the Little Wolf Cub’s family. They huddled around it in pity, using their body heat to warm its wounded heart.

Nash jumped into the snowy pit to examine the two wolf carcasses. The cause of death was obvious—they had certainly been bitten to death.

The question now was whether they were killed by a bear or some other animal.

This was because wolves in Alaska are apex predators. As one of the few social predators, it was rare for other carnivores to dare provoke a Wolf Pack; in fact, it was usually the wolf packs that preyed on other predators.

After examining the wounds, Nash climbed out of the pit with a puzzled look on his face and glanced at Feng Shan.

"A she-wolf. Killed by wolves. Gray wolves. The pack from our camp."

Feng Shan frowned.

Among social animals, cannibalism is extremely rare.

Animals that live in groups typically have a strong sense of order and community. Their companions are the foundation of their collective interest; to kill one’s own kind is tantamount to self-mutilation.

Although cases of wolves eating their own kind exist, it is not normal behavior for them unless they are under some kind of threat.

"Are you sure?"

Nash nodded.

Feng Shan pulled Nash away from the pit, then reburied the hole with snow.

Born on the Tundra, died on the Tundra, returned to the Tundra.

Perhaps other Tundra animals would find the wolves’ bodies and survive the harsh winter because of it.

Or perhaps, come next spring, the wolves’ bodies would become nutrients, allowing lush vegetation to grow in this spot.

However, that Wolf Pack had to be found.

Preying on their own kind meant this Wolf Pack had reached an extreme level of savagery and was beginning to destroy the Tundra’s ecological balance.

They were a tremendous threat—to the animals of the Tundra, to the Crown Territory, and to the humans living on the Tundra.

Feng Shan gazed into the distance in the direction the Wolf Pack had gone, adjusted the Type 56 carbine on his shoulder, and continued onward.

As they continued the pursuit, it became clear how cunning and savage the Wolf Pack was. Along their trail, they found the half-eaten remains of prey: reindeer, moose, foxes, bobcats, and even a black bear.

Furthermore, they never lingered in one place, moving on immediately after a kill.

This put Feng Shan in a very passive position, constantly being led by the nose and chasing them from behind.

Tracking a Wolf Pack through the snow was a supreme test of stamina and endurance. Even Feng Shan, whose body had been enhanced by Soul Power, was struggling to keep up.

The biting wind was like a sharp blade, mercilessly cutting at their skin. The cold relentlessly invaded their bodies, forcing them to burn through energy at a rapid pace just to maintain body heat.

In the vast, snowy expanse, their eyes had to constantly search for the faint tracks of the wolves, causing them to ache and sting from the prolonged focus.

The constant mental strain also pushed his brain to a state of extreme fatigue.

On top of that, he was carrying heavy equipment. His body was under immense pressure, and with every step, the burden on his shoulders felt heavier.

If Feng Shan was about to break, it was even worse for Nash.

The stubborn Indian hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint the entire way, but after staying up to watch the fire last night, the exhaustion and weariness on his face could no longer be hidden.

Seven hours had passed since they last made camp.

Nash had reached his limit. If he kept going, he would collapse from exhaustion.

Feng Shan found a place to camp on the shaded side of a hill. He pitched the tent, gathered dry twigs from the bushes, and started a fire in the stove. Nash was about to go out hunting, but Feng Shan stopped him.

"Don’t you go. Stay in the tent and rest. I’ll go hunting!"

"Coca-Cola, Prince, you two watch the little one. Don’t let it run off."

Once everyone was settled, Feng Shan picked up the Type 56 and stepped out of the tent. He searched the snow for prey, focusing on Thunderbirds and wild rabbits. A reindeer was too big—they wouldn’t be able to eat it all in one sitting, and carrying the leftover meat was inconvenient.

Half an hour later, Feng Shan returned to camp carrying three wild rabbits and two Thunderbirds.

He boiled water to pluck the feathers, then skinned the rabbits and cleaned out their entrails.

By the time the meal was ready, Nash was already leaning against his pack, fast asleep and snoring.

Feng Shan picked up a reindeer-hide blanket and draped it over Nash. He looked at the three little ones. "Keep it down, you three. Nash is sleeping."

Time passed, and soon it was night.

Nash woke from his dream and sat up with a jolt.

"You’re awake. Come and eat. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t have the heart to wake you," Feng Shan, who was sitting by the stove, heard the movement and said with a smile.

’How can I let Khilla take care of me?’

Nash stood up, looking flustered and uneasy. Seeing this, Feng Shan beckoned him over to the stove. In a mess kit, the Thunderbird Soup was still steaming, and the roasted rabbit smelled just as fragrant.

"We’re brothers. I don’t know how old you are, but you can just call me Brother Shan. Eat up while it’s hot, get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll set out again tomorrow morning."

Holding the scalding mess kit, Nash was moved beyond words.

Just then, the Little Wolf Cub, which had been lying dejectedly beside Coca-Cola, suddenly twitched its ears. It shot to its feet and ran towards the tent flap.

The tent flap was zipped shut, so it couldn’t get out. The Little Wolf Cub stood anxiously at the entrance, whimpering. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Need to take a crap?" Feng Shan stepped forward and unzipped the flap. The Little Wolf Cub shot outside immediately.

Then, they heard it let out a series of howls. Though immature, the cries possessed an innate wildness.

The howls weren’t loud, but they echoed in the vast, open air.

Just as Feng Shan was thinking the Little Wolf Cub was mourning its family, his expression suddenly changed.

Because after the Little Wolf Cub’s immature howls, a chorus of answering howls came from the night sky.

The sounds rose and fell, one after another, sounding particularly grim and terrifying in the silent darkness.

They were the howls of adult wolves—deep, long, and carrying a bone-chilling sense of dread.

Every howl seemed to pierce the darkness.

Feng Shan immediately grabbed his Type 56 and rushed out of the tent, while Nash put down his mess kit, picked up his rifle, and followed close behind.

The two of them stepped out of the tent.

Visibility at night wasn’t too affected by the snow. The surroundings were pure white, and the snowy ground gave off a faint, gentle light.

The cold wind howled. Feng Shan scanned his surroundings warily, his ears straining for the slightest sound. It seemed the wolf howls were getting closer and closer to the camp.

And on a distant hill, three black dots appeared, rushing rapidly toward their camp.

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